Google refreshes ‘Check for updates’ screen with new animation

Google started rolling out an updated ‘Check for updates’ page to some Pixel devices with a new circular animation.

The update doesn’t really introduce anything new. Users will notice a centred title and blue phone icon, a large blue circle animation and the absence of the blue status bar and black navigation bar.

The weirdest part about the change is it seems to be a server-side update. The new animation has only appeared for select users on Play Service version 15.0.85. No one at MobileSyrup has received the new look yet.

In other words, Google is rolling out what may be one of the most basic visual updates I’ve seen in a long time via a server-side update. It really seems kind of silly.

I suppose Google could have taken this approach to avoid breaking the ‘Check for update’ button again. The company recently fixed the button after breaking it twice in 2017.

Regardless, those who get the new animation will have something to enjoy while they wait for the next Android update, at least.